Denture connector



Dec. 10, 1940.

H. M. CLEVEN DENTURE CONNECTOR Filed Dec. 6, 19:59

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Patented Dec. 10, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT orries DENTURE CONNECTOR Henry M. Cleven, Chicago, Ill.

Application December 6, 1939, Serial No. 307,904

'7 Claims.

This invention relates to dentures and more particularly to improved connectors for holding such dentures in the human mouth.

Heretofore upper and lower plates have been hinged together or connected together by spring members so that they were yieldingly urged apart at all times and in some cases the pressure was greatest when the dentures were in juxtaposition or their normal closed relation.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved mechanical linkage between the dentures which will permit them to move relative to each other substantially as the human jaws can move, and to provide spring means for urging the dentures apart only when the dentures have been moved out of closed -position. That is, a spring is arranged so as to be inefiective when the teeth on the upper and lower plate are in contact.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a pair of dentures provided with the improved device; Figure 2, a plan view of the same; Figure 3, an elevational view similar to Figure 1 with the sheath removed from the linkage; Figure 4, a sectional view, partly enlarged, taken as indicated at line 4 of Figure 1; Figure 5, a view similar to Figure 3 showing the linkage in extended position; Figure 6, an elevational view showing a modified form of linkage; and Figure 7, a view of the linkage shown in Figure 6, in extended position.

Referring to the embodiment illustrated in Figures 15, an upper denture 8 is connected to a lower denture 9 by a linkage of the lazy-tong type Ill. The upper denture is provided with a laterally extending trunnion II on which is loosely pivoted the upper end of the lazy-tong mechanism, and in like manner the lower denture is provided with a headed trunnion l2 on which is loosely pivoted the lower end of the lazy-tong mechanism.

The lazy-tong mechanism itself comprises a series of cross links 13 and [4 which are connected at their centers, as indicated at 15, and are pivotally connected at their ends, as indicated at l6. One or more tension springs [1 are stretched between a pair of opposite pivots l6 across one of the center pivots l5, so that the spring has a tendency to urge the lazy-tong mechanism to the extended position shown in Figure 5, once it has been moved a short distance out of the collapsed position shown in Figure 3.

It may be noted that the links form a toggle so that when both pivots l6 and the pivot I5 are in a straight line, the spring is incapable of exerting any pressure towards the extension of the linkage.

As shown in Figures 1 and 4, it is preferred to enclose the linkage with a waterproof sheath to prevent food from getting into the mechanism and also to retain a suitable lubricant, such as graphite, within the sheath. In Figure 4, for the purpose of illustration, the mechanism has been shown somewhat farther away from the dentures than it is actually made. The sheath, as will be readily understood, must be moistureproof, flexible, and very'durable. Certain synthetic rubberous materials have been found satisfactory for this purpose.

Referring now to the modification shown in Figures 6 and 7, it will be seen that a link It) may be secured to an upper denture by means of an eye l9 and a link 20 secured to a lower denture by means of the eye 2|. The links I8 and 20 are pivotally connected by links 22 and 23 which are disposed in crossed relation. The link 23 is pivotally connected to the link 20, as indicated at 24. A coil spring 25 is connected to the link 20 at 26, and to the link 23 at 21, and urges the stud 21 towards the stud 26. This action, as will be clear from Figure '7, will urge the dentures connected to the ends of links I8 and 20 to extended or open position. On the other hand, when the dentures are brought to the closed position, as indicated in'Figure 6, the studs 26 and 2'! will be in alignment with the pivot 24 and there will be no tendency to open the parts due to the arrangement of the toggle joint.

Preferably, the linkage shown in Figures 6 and '7 is also enclosed by a suitable sheath to protect it from food material and to enable it to be properly lubricated.

While in the embodiments illustrated, full dentures have been shown with a separate linkage on each side, it will be understood that the invention is adapted for use with partial dentures and that its operation will be substantially the same.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, for some modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A movable connector for a pair of dentures comprising: a lazy-tong mechanism secured to upper and lower dentures to permit said dentures to be moved back and forth and from a separated position to juxtaposition; and spring means disposed on the lazy-tong mechanism for urging the dentures to extended position, said spring means being disposed on the lazy-tong mechanism so as to be ineffective when said dentures are in juxtaposition.

2. A movable connector for a pair of dentures comprising: a lazy-tong mechanism secured to upper and lower dentures to permit said dentures to be moved back andforth and from a sepa-- rated position to juxtaposition; and a coil spring tensioned between opposite ends of the adjacent cross links in said lazy-tong mechanism so as to urge the dentures to extended position and be ineifective when said dentures are in juxtaposition.

3. A movable connector for a pair of dentures comprising: a mechanical linkage secured to upper and lower dentures, said linkage being disposed so as to permit said dentures to be moved back and forth and from separated to juxtaposition; spring means for urging the dentures to extended position, said means being disposed on the linkage so as to be inefiective when said dentures are in juxtaposition; and a tubular, moisture-proof, flexible bag enclosing said linkage and spring means.

4. A movable connector for a pair of dentures comprising: a mechanical linkage pivotally secured to upper and lower dentures, said linkage being in the form of a lazy-tong mechanism and including a plurality of links pivotally connected to permit said dentures to be moved back and forth and from separated position to juxtaposition; and spring means secured to points on a pair of said connected links, said points being disposed with respect to the pivoted joint between said links so as to urge the linkage to extended position when the dentures are separated and be inefiective when said dentures are in juxtaposition.

5. In combination: an upper and lower denture each having a pair of laterally extending trunnions; a pair of mechanical linkages each connecting an upper denture trunnion with a lower denture trunnion, each linkage including a plurality of links pivotally connected to permit said dentures to be moved back and forth and from a separated position to juxtaposition; and a spring secured to points on a pair of said connected links, said points being out of alignment with the pivotal joint between said links so as to urge the linkage to an extended position when the dentures are separated and being in alignment with said joint so as to be inefiective when said dentures are in juxtaposition.

6. A movable connector for a pair of dentures comprising: a mechanical linkage pivotally secured to upper and lower dentures, said linkage including a plurality of links pivotally connected to permit said dentures to be moved back and forth and froma separated position to juxtaposition; and a spring secured to points on a connected pair of said links, said points being in substantial alignment with the pivoted joint connecting said links when the dentures are in juxtaposition and being out of alignment therewith when the dentures are separated so that the spring is effective in urging the dentures to separated position only after the dentures have been moved from juxtaposition.

7. A device as specified in claim 6, in which some of the links are in the form of bell cranks interconnected by cross links and one end of the spring is connected to a point on oneof the bell cranks and the other end of the spring is connected to a point on one of the cross links.

HENRY M. CLEVEN. 

